Friday, 16 July 2010

After some judicious prodding by the PMO, the conservative Fraser Institute catapulted a senior economist onto the media stage, in order to regurgitate more speaking points.

When asked how they would ensure even representation across different income and ethnic groups on such surveys without reliable long-form data, Veldhuis questioned why those differences would matter.

“This is what should be worrying average Canadians — this information is used by central planners to plan how to tinker with the lives of Canadians,” he said of the ways in which census data is used. [...]

The Fraser Institute uses long-form data in its school report card rankings, Mr. Veldhuis said, but he believes the short-form census — which will remain mandatory — the voluntary census and other polling, market research and voluntary surveys conducted by private companies will provide more than enough data on Canadians.

"Central planners" - is that Con code-speak for policy-shapers who don't cleave to the ReformaTory party line? And by the way, Veldhuis is a flat-taxer and reactionary analyst of the Calgary School mold. Are those who share the CMAJ perspective set out in a recent editorial also "central planners"?

"It [long-form census questionnaire] provides accurate and reliable data on social trends and issues, including the determinants of health, such as the relationships among income, gender, education, region, work and other factors that influence access to care and health outcomes."

The CMAJ's position is that the elimination of the long census will cause regional institutions to "lose the only accurate information about the populations they serve."

Of course, Stevie Spiteful's goal to create a Canada that conforms to conservative values is not "tinkering". No, it's more political engineering that will shift power and profits to friends of the Conservative party and will exclude those who aren't ideologically aligned. And that's why Stevie and his bullies, thugs and hooligans don't want evidence of damage their tactics have wrought documented and recorded.

3 comments:

What cat will these carpetbaggers let out of the cellophane bag next?These ghouls have a lot of felines.Universal health care?Eddy Kashun?CPP?Hey! Let's declare another war.If things get a bit hot - they can just pick another beleaguered group and make another big apology.

If you put shit IN - - then you'll get shit OUT.No wonder Tony C. was used to front this gambit - he's one of their most unappealing electoral prospects. This is not a policy about which anyone had an opportunity to vote - and now Tony is trying to put half-baked versions of his policy development into the muzzled mouths of the Statistics Canada people. He's a defiantly shameless sneak.

Tony should resign.

He should paint on a smaller canvas until he learns how to lie better.

The Cons are traipsing through our collective assets like sullen adolescents - tearing the wings of flies.

Wasn't it just a few months ago that they announced "we're going to change the national anthem because off a few suggestions" and then not even a week later they backed down saying they had "heard from Canadians" and so decided not to change it?

Being in government is just a strategic power game to these people - I see no inkling of intelligent governance...